The Royal Stilt Troupe of Merchtem (Belgium) attends the Hue Festival for the 5th time

Hue Festival 2024 promises to be more exciting than ever when welcoming the return of the Royal Merchtem stilt troupe from Belgium.

Photo caption — The Royal Merchtem Stilt Troupe performs at the Ypres Cat Parade.

According to the Vietnam News Agency correspondent in Belgium, the Merchtem stilt troupe is no stranger to the audience of the Hue Festival. This will be the fifth time the troupe has participated in this festival, bringing visitors and locals unique and colorful performances on the streets. In each participation, they bring impressive stilt performances, combining skillful techniques and sophisticated performing arts. The soaring stilts, graceful movements in the air and colorful costumes have left a deep impression on the audience. Participating in the Hue Festival this time, the Merchtem stilt troupe consists of 47 members. Many of them have been present at previous festivals, but some are attending this festival for the first time, so they are very excited. The amateur stilt artists consider this not only an opportunity to perform but also an opportunity to exchange culture, connect with international friends and explore the beauty of Hue city.

Johan Vrijders, who attended the Hue Festival for the first time, told VNA that he was very excited about this trip. He asked for a 10-day leave to join the troupe. For him, performing at the Hue Festival with his colleagues was a great honor. Roger Daelemans, the troupe's leader, confided: "We are very happy to return to Hue, which has become a special part of the troupe's performance journey." Other members of the troupe such as Frans Schelkens and Marc Bauwers, who have performed at the Hue Festival many times, expressed their deep impressions of the city with the exciting feeling of walking on the tree-lined streets. The people of Hue are very friendly and hospitable. They always smile to welcome visitors and are ready to help when needed. The Mertchem stilt walkers felt respected and loved when performing in Hue and received a lot of cheers and encouragement from the audience.

The Royal Merchtem Stilt Troupe will depart for Vietnam on June 4. In preparation for this tour, since May, the members of the troupe have been busy repainting their stilts in yellow, red and black - representing the colors of the Belgian flag. Each set of stilts is numbered corresponding to the order number of each member to ensure easy identification and use. The 5m long stilts are carefully packed in special iron boxes and sent to Hue by air in advance. In addition to the stilts, each member of the troupe also brings a pair of wooden clogs. This is a necessary prop for them to move and perform on the towering stilts on the streets of Hue.

At the headquarters of the Royal Stilt Troupe in Merchtem, the Vietnamese conical hat and the Cups certifying the Troupe’s participation in the Hue Festivals are solemnly displayed in a glass cabinet. Each Cup is a memorable memory, marking the efforts and successes of the troupe throughout the Hue Festivals over the years.

But not only stopping at the festival, the Merchtem stilt walkers also want to help the Vietnamese people by teaching them to move on stilts in floodwaters. This is also the context in which the Merchtem people learned to walk on stilts. Mr. Roger Daelemans said that in addition to performing on stilts, the group will participate in various tours, teaching Vietnamese teenagers how to walk on stilts in floodwaters. "This place often struggles with floods. We can teach them how to walk on stilts that they make themselves from bamboo, so they can move in deep water," Mr. Roger Daelemans explained.

According to the head of the stilt troupe, the use of stilts in Merchtem originated from floods. Almost every year, the Molenbeek stream overflowed its banks in the village of Langevelde. At that time, the people were completely isolated and could only move to the center of Merchtem on stilts to keep their feet dry. This fact prompted the founding of the Merchtem folklore group in 1945, which is now famous all over the world. For nearly 80 years, the Merchtem Royal Stilt Troupe with 150 members has introduced the art of stilt walking to the world. Dressed in traditional costumes in the colors of the Belgian flag and accompanied by a band of trumpets and drums, the Merchtem stilt artists perform at many traditional cultural festivals in Belgium. The art of Merchtem stilt walking has also been included in the list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Flanders.

Hue Festival 2024 will take place from June 7 to 12. This is one of the largest international cultural festivals in Vietnam, attracting art troupes from all over the world. The participation of the Royal Merchtem Stilt Troupe is a special highlight for the festival. The art of stilt walking is a testament to the rich cultural heritage and enduring appeal of traditional performing arts in Belgium. The performances of Merchtem artists promise to bring visitors unique and unforgettable cultural experiences.